In this Sept. 11, 2002 file photo, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger of Germany, left, who became the new Pope at the Vatican Tuesday April 19, 2005, is seen with late Pope John Paul II during mass. (AP Photo/Pier Paolo Cito,File)

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On this Easter, Maureen Dowd turns to another resurrection of sorts next Sunday: The beatification of Pope John Paul II, or "PR boost" that Pope Benedict hopes to get from the "swiftest ascension toward sainthood on record." And while there was much to love about the "skiing cardinal, mountain-climbing poet, kayaking philosopher, (and) singing author," the "indelible stain" of the sex abuse scandal that John Paul presided over makes next week's ceremony a charade. "How can you be a saint if you fail to protect innocent children?" Dowd wonders in the New York Times.

"John Paul forfeited his right to beatification when he failed to establish a legal standard to remove pedophiles from the priesthood, and simply turned away for many years," she writes. The former pontiff failed to investigate credibly accused pedophiles, refused to put the clergy under the microscope, and "was passive to an absolute fault," one author tells Dowd. "He failed in mountainous terms." So rather than mumbled apologies and checks the Vatican slips to sex abuse victims, Dowd concludes that simply "not beatifying or canonizing John Paul would be hugely symbolic."

hi everybody, JPII for sure was a man, like all of us, a strong, faithful man. He did so much for the believer and not throughout the world, by speaking words of peace, forgiveness and freedom. He is going to be beatified for the miracle of healing a nun. But the real miracle , in these days where fear and egoism are the patrons, is bringing the faith back to many Christians and keeping the light on. I pray God and thank Him for JPII

Brute

Apr 26, 2011 9:48 AM CDT

The sexual abuse that was largely becoming public during the Papacy of John Paul, can hardly be laid at his feet. The abuse was found at the local church levels, and to a great extent, became more the subject of note very late in the term of the Holy Father. I'm not Catholic and don't know, (or care) if JP is given sainthood, but I would say that the Apostle Paul could not be held responsible for the abuses of individuals of the churches he founded throughout the Mediterranean.